Calista followed Yara's gaze. Sure enough, Lucian was surrounded by people, and Cailyn was standing by his side. Her hands were nervously clasped in front of her.It was her first time attending a party like this. Even though she tried to stand tall, her impoverished background made it difficult for her to blend in with the heirs and heiresses from prominent families who frequented such events. She stood in the background like an outsider. She didn't fit in at all.Even if she had experienced similar plights as Calista and reacted the same way when faced with difficulties, Cailyn wouldn't have been able to pull off what her rival could. Calista, despite her hardships in the latter half of her life, knew proper etiquette.Yara noticed how Calista didn't seem the least bit surprised. "Did you know that Lucian was going to bring Cailyn? That doesn't sound right. Who are the Gordons even? Why would he attend their daughter's engagement party? There's no way they'd be able to invite Luci

Cailyn felt as if she was going to die. The more water she swallowed, the less vigorous her flails became. Through the splashes, she could see Calista standing at the edge of the pool. The woman was dressed in an exquisite evening gown and expensive jewelry that Cailyn could never afford, even if she toiled away for the rest of her life. Calista watched Cailyn struggle in the water with great indifference.Humiliation overwhelmed Cailyn. If she survived, she was going to… What was she going to do? Her thoughts were in disarray. She felt dizzy and her limbs grew limp.Then, Cailyn was hit by something. It didn't hurt. Instead, it felt soft. As she struggled, she opened her eyes and saw a pink lifebuoy in front of her. She didn't even bother to think about who had thrown it. Her survival instincts made her cling to it to prevent herself from sinking.With the threat of death gone, Cailyn finally regained her composure. Once her feet were firmly planted on dry land, she turned to loo

Calista had been too lazy to carry a bag, and her evening gown didn't have any pockets. So, before coming, she had left her phone in Yara's bag. If she had known how things would turn out, she would have carried it with her.However, since they had already gone to the extent of kidnapping, they probably wouldn't leave their phones with them. She was just testing her luck by asking. "No," Lucian replied. His suit clung to his body, allowing him to see at a glance whether his phone was still on him. As soon as he replied her, their surroundings became eerily quiet. Although Calista wasn't claustrophobic or scared of the dark, she was afraid of ghosts. On TV, they said that places that were pitch-black, eerie, damp, and dilapidated were most likely to be haunted. She struggled to move the chair to Lucian's side, but she eventually managed to and sat next to him. By his side, she felt less scared. However, it was only when he groaned that Calista realized she had been leaning aga

In the video, Lucian was laid face down on the bed with his bare back fully exposed to the camera. There wasn't a single patch of skin that wasn't swollen or covered in blood. The white bed sheets he laid on had been dyed crimson from his blood. Calista finally knew why he had all those scars. The Lucian who was lying on the bed had unfocused eyes and was motionless. If he hadn't been in front of her now, she would've thought he was already dead. The man in the video threw the blood-stained rod to the ground and walked out. The breath Calista had been holding slowly escaped as she watched his departure. Even though she was heartbroken by the gruesome scene she had just witnessed, she could now breathe normally. However, before she could fully catch her breath, she saw someone else walk in. Lucian laid on the bed motionless and did not even bat an eyelid. She was unsure if he had passed out or not. This time, it was a middle-aged man who appeared on screen. Compared to the prev

Cade got out of the car and shouted, "Uncle Fletcher!"Fletcher used to be the vice-chairman of Northwood Corporation, so he enjoyed a fairly close relationship with Henry. Cade used to go over to Stansend Manor to play when he was a kid and their paths always crossed. Fletcher was like an uncle to him.Cade didn't get too close, considering they had not exited their car. It would have been dangerous for him to approach them blindly. The car window rolled down, revealing Fletcher.His gaze swept over the few police cars in the background. Even in this desperate situation, his face showed no signs of panic or anger. He even greeted Cade warmly. "Cade.""I'm here to take Mrs. Northwood back to the hospital.""Selena says that she wants to go abroad with me. Since I've coincidentally met you here, please let your uncle Henry know that I'm extremely thankful to him for taking care of Selena all these years."Cade glanced at his watch and frowned impatiently. He was being irritati